ORIGIN

Clown Car: 1959 Panhard Dyna Z-16 Project

This 1959 Panhard Dyna is in running condition but needs mechanical work. The car supposedly was purchased from a famous traveling clown (not kidding) but has been sitting for some time. It has fresh tires but needs brakes and the fuel tank cleaned out.Â Find it here on Craigslist in Tucson, Arizona for $3k. Special thanks to BaT reader Ron L. for this submission!

The proportions seem appropriate for either an engineering marvel of the 1950’s or a clown car (or apparently both). The 850cc roller bearing 2-cylinder in an interesting piece, and the factory interior is tired but intact. It looks like the yard where this car is located has some other interesting treasures as well. Should me nice and toasty inside a black car with the windows rolled up in Tucson this time of year!

Comments

Great Comments! Funny I have three Panhards..the last 24Bt, and two Deutsch Bonnet’s. The comment on “gas leaks”..??? The rebuilding of DB gas tanks is nothing new…they just rusted away and WHERE DO YOU FIND a DB gas tank. I sold a new Panhard Rebuilt in France) to a gentleman in Tuson a few years ago..not sure if same car. In France the saying goes if you crusing at 150k’s an hour and a horn is blowing behind you, it’s a Panhard with tech at 7000rpm wanting to pass you… Vive la Panhard No one copies the French and the French copy no one….

I had, some 50 years ago, a Panhard, since I could not afford anything bigger. I liked the ability to go 100Mph all day with two cylinder gas mileage and front wheel drive handling . Of course, in the US, it is incomprehensible to drive a car that is no dragster. But in the US no one can understand driving all day at 100 Mph. Different cultures.

The 1958 Dyna Panhard is an excellent, efficient,smooth riding car. After driving one for years, I was surprised at how rough a VW was to ride in. Nice looking. Mine got so rusty that I finally put it in the shed. It was purchased new by a tourist who studied European cars prior to his trip and picked the Dyna Panhard based on its beauty. The Citroens of the 1955 t0 1972 era were beautiful and had a ride better than any production car ever. Many have over 300,000 miles on them. French engineering on autos is superior to all. Take for example the diesel engine. It was proposed in 1824 by French, Sadi Carnot and finally built in the 1890s by Paris born, Rudolph Diesel. Diesel infringed on Otto’s patent, but it was overturned because the French had an earlier patent on it.

I actually owned a 1960 Panhard and drove it about a year. Nice car was suprisingly peppy and would run an indicated ninety. I drove it from Blooming Indiana to Montery Mexico and back to San Angelo Texas with a couple of other airmen and our luggage in 1962. It pulled the steep grades to Horse Tail Falls without much effort. Got lots of thumbs up in Mexico. Mine was a light purple color! My first taste of Michelin tires and have had them ever since.

I don’t know about this car, but there is a 1960 Panhard that was indeed owned by Emmett for sale on Craigslist, sale-edewr-1355965894@craigslist.org. Lisa lives in Tombstone, AZ. and bought it from Chery (Emmetts daughter) a couple years ago. The Panhard is in running condition and is still in Tombstone.

I don’t know that the current owner was the famous clown, but I know that very spot. I bought a car (1981 Lancia Zagato) from an older gentleman in Tucson around 1999 or 2000. I recognize that DS and the home.

If Euro heaven is German mechanics, count me out! They make an effective car, no doubt, but car design needs more SOUL. I suppose that since I can work on my own stuff I don’t need to appreciate boring efficiency. But let the Germans make the sausage and beer in my heaven.

Clown update: I have it on good authority that Emmett Kelly Jr. was not the most famous clown in the world…his father Emmett Kelly was. EK Jr. tried to gain fame by riding on his father’s coat-tails all of his life. And…EK Sr. did not live in AZ, he lived in Sarasota.

Enough of this clown stuff Panhards are serious cars They have a serious following in France a good record at Le Mans winning the index of performance many times How ab out the Panhard rod ? Panhaed was a pioneer of motoring

This car has been advertised several times over the past year or so, on eBay twice, and still no buyer. A shame… they are technically intereresting and at $3K it’s cheap enough. The Emmett Kelly connection is gonna mean very little to anyone under 50.

The photos show a tidy little group of Citroens and what looks like a Daimler limo.

It’s a non-sequitir. Of course clowns should travel. It insures their survival as a species. That being said, if this truly runs it is extremely reasonably priced, and I hope it finds a sympathetic home. These are interesting cars and well worth preserving. Gotta love the French with their wacky cars. And i mean it!